


The secret in those eyes (behind the mask and the disguise)

by LilyAmelia



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Modern-ish Au?, Vigilante AU, how does one tag these things?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 15:10:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10493634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyAmelia/pseuds/LilyAmelia
Summary: Katara gets it, okay?The world may be a better place ever since General Iroh overthrew his brother to become Fire Lord ten years ago, and proclaimed the start of a new era of peace.Just because it’s better doesn’t mean it’s perfect.The four of them- Suki, Toph, Aang and her- decide to take the easier, day-to-day matters into their own capable hands. With masks, of course.So yeah, she gets it. Sometimes the world needs vigilantes.A.K.A.: The vigilante AU no one asked for





	1. Chapter 1

**The Secret In Those Eyes  
** **(Behind The Mask And The Disguise)**

**Part 1**

* * *

 

Katara gets it, okay? What they’re doing- it’s almost necessary.

Sure, the world may be a better place ever since General Iroh overthrew his brother to become Fire Lord ten years ago, and proclaimed the start of a new era of peace. Republic City was founded, a place where people from all nations can live in harmony.

But just because they _can_ doesn’t mean they _do_. Some of Fire Nation locals are unhappy, wistfully thinking of the days when their homeland was a powerhouse. Others from the Earth Kingdom want complete independence from a nation they deem to be tyrannical. 

Just because it’s better doesn’t mean it’s _perfect_.

Riots erupt, despite- or maybe _because of_ \- Crown Prince Zuko’s place as head of the police department. Petty crime rates keep climbing. Little old ladies are being threatened on the streets by thugs with sharp, pointy objects.

The four of them- Suki, Toph, Aang and her- decide to take the easier, day-to-day matters into their own capable hands. With masks, of course.

So yeah, she gets it. Sometimes the world needs vigilantes.

But, _dammit_. Do their methods of distraction always have to include her getting her flirt on? Especially with someone as sleazy as the Freedom Fighter?

He’s lurking at the corner of the street opposite the store. Dark eyes gleam from behind a black cloth and a strand of grass hangs from the corner of his lips. There’s no missing the two sharp grappling hooks dangling from his belt, glinting in the moonlight. "Ah, the Painted Lady. A sight for sore eyes, as always," he purrs. _Purrs_.

A shudder runs through her body, but Katara is nothing but a consummate professional. And she can’t deny that there’s something about putting on her disguise that makes her feel attractive, beautiful. Sexy. "Right back at you, handsome." She slinks closer, taking full advantage of the way her dress and cloak billow behind her, accentuating the air of mystery that comes with her costume. She knows the red paint on her face make her blue eyes stand out even more.

He’s about to rob a jewelry store in one of the classier areas of Republic City. Katara’s all for the sharing of riches and fighting against inequality, but this guy _hurts_ people- innocent people- and she can’t stand for that. She won’t turn her back on people who need her- no matter their social status or where they work.

The plan is for her to distract him with her ‘feminine wiles’, as Toph puts it, and for the rest of the team to sneak into the store to warn the staff and customers. Simple, concise, direct. In and out, no one gets hurt.

But he just _had_ to start getting handsy, didn’t he?

That’s how Suki, Aang and Toph find him frozen to the wall ten minutes later, a piece of cloth torn from her veil tied around his mouth. Katara is standing close, a water whip in hand and a furious glare twisting her make-up. 

"Huh, couldn’t help himself, could he?" Toph quips, readjusting the black band that covers her milky green eyes.

Suki shakes her head sagely. "It’s the dress, Bandit. It’s _always_ the dress." Dry, cheeky expression hidden behind the thick layer of her Kyoshi Warrior face paint, she sends Katara a wink. The waterbender snorts.

As the girls turn to leave, Aang looks over at the thief with a worried expression. "Is he going to be alright there, frozen like that?"

Katara waves dismissively. "He’s going to be fine, Arrows. It’ll melt before he can catch a cold. Besides, I dropped an anonymous call to the police, they should be over here in minutes. We should get out of here before they see us."

Aang shrugs, jogging to catch up with them. He brushes past Katara and Suki to slip his hand through Toph’s. Suki falls in step with Katara, tucking her fan into her belt. With her full warrior regalia and heavy make-up, there’s little doubt that the woman dressed up as a mythical Kyoshi Warrior is the leader of their little band of vigilantes. The teasing sparkle in her eyes as she glances at Katara, however, makes her look like a teenager.

"He seemed kind of cute. With the mask, anyway," she says with a false sense of airiness. "Pity he was such an ass."

Katara rolls her eyes at her friend’s conversational tone. She _knows_ a hidden agenda when she sees it. "Just because I’m over Haru doesn’t mean I want to jump in another relationship, Suki." Especially _not_ with someone like the Freedom Fighter. Ew. "Besides, we can’t all have what they have," she gestures towards Toph and Aang, "or what you and my brother have. I’m cool with that."

Suki cocks her head to the side. "Yeah, huh. Who’d have thought Toph’s weird fear of _dancing_ would have brought them that much closer? But if you think about it," she giggles, "only Aang could have handled having his feet stepped on so many times."

"And who would have thought _you’d_ be such a cliché, falling for your saviour?" Katara teases her friend.

"Hey! He got me out of _prison_ , okay? Cut a girl some slack." Suddenly, the good humour slips from her face. "He hates it, that I keep doing this. If he knew I dragged his sister and her friends into it as well, he’d-"

"He doesn’t need to know." Katara cuts her off, a fierce expression etched into her dark features. "You didn’t _drag_ us, Suki. We practically begged you. I’m an adult now, I don’t need his permission. Things have to _change_ around here _._ "

After a second, her friend straightens her shoulders and nods. "Yeah, I guess you’re right."

Katara jerks her chin towards the couple before them. "Go ahead, I’ll join you guys later. I’ll make sure the police come."

Once the rest of the group is out of sight, Katara focuses her attention on the man she glued to the wall, keeping her eyes and ears peeled for a police siren. Indeed, the black car appears minutes later. Sokka steps out of the vehicle, his face a picture of frustration.

"Where the hell are you, Zuko?" She manages to catch his irritated grumble before he hauls off the thief into the car.

Right. She forgets, sometimes, that her brother is partnered with the Chief of the police department. Who also happens to be the Crown Prince. Who _also_ seems to be a useless shit- no matter how much Sokka appears to like him. The city’s in shambles and he’s doing _nothing_ about it.

A thud behind her catches her attention, and as she turns, she spots something- someone- crumple to the ground before her. She feels a scream rise in her chest but the sound is muffled by a gloved hand that clamps over her mouth. Another dark figure comes into view, brandishing a knife. With a twist, her captor’s free arm knocks out the second assailant with the handle of his dao sword.

She’s still reeling from the unexpected attack when she finds herself tugged into a narrow cul-de-sac by her captor, who promptly releases her only to push her against the wall. Katara blinks, before her blue eyes widen comically.

"You!" She hisses.

Black painted eyes stare back at her from a menacing blue mask.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Secret In Those Eyes  
** **(Behind The Mask And The Disguise)**

**Part 2**

* * *

 

"You!"

It’s the Blue Spirit.

Katara’s never met him before, but she’s heard _stories_. Tales of his grace and stealth, of his flawless swordsmanship. He first appeared at the beginning of Fire Lord Iroh’s reign, when certain members of the royal entourage refused to accept the change in power and in policies. He slowly built a reputation taking down corrupt politicians and traitorous guards.

No one knows who he is. He works alone.

Suki’s a _big_ fan.

At her outburst, he clamps once again a hand over her mouth, shaking his head. He leans forward, pressing his body against hers to look over her shoulder, out onto the street.

Katara fidgets indignantly, wondering if he’s ever heard of _personal space_. He seems to register their current position and takes a step back, his hand dropping from her mouth. With the mask on, she can’t see his face, but something about his posture looks almost... apologetic.

"I’ve heard of you. The Blue Spirit." Adjusting her hat, she surveils him warily. "I didn’t really need your help back there. I would have taken care of them."

He doesn’t say anything, but a noise that sounds suspiciously like a snort comes from behind the mask. 

Right. Apparently, he’s not a big talker, either.

"It’s true!" She’s feeling mildly offended now. "I’m a pretty good waterbender. And I’ve been doing this for years."

If the way he reaches behind his back to unsheathe his broad swords is any indication, he’s taken her words as a challenge. He settles into a defensive position, and Katara _swears_ he’s smirking.

"Oh, for La’s sake, I’m not going to _fight_ you! This is stupid, we’re on the same side," she grumbles. At least, she thinks they are. She doesn’t actually know anything about the guy.

He returns his swords to his back and leans against the wall, crossing his arms. As he tilts his head to the side, it feels like he’s studying her. The small blind alley suddenly seems even smaller.

She tugs at her veil. "But, anyway..." She clears her throat. "Thanks. I guess. For earlier."

He still doesn’t answer- it’s _so_ frustrating! Why is she even bothering?

With a huff, she spins on her heels. She’s taken a few steps when he grabs her bicep.

"It’s dangerous." His voice is low, muffled by the mask, but it doesn’t stop Katara’s heart from skipping a beat in her chest.

"What?"

He shakes his head. "What you’re doing. You’re a great bender, I saw that earlier- with the Freedom Fighter. But you don’t know how dangerous it is."

Katara blinks, incredulous. She’s in a strange limbo between flattered and insulted, unsure as to how she should react. So she decides to go for good old trusty sarcasm. "Um. Yeah, you’re right," she scoffs. "How would _I_ know how dangerous it is to defend my city?" 

Righteous anger- the kind that has fueled her ever since she was a child, that has brought her to this _exact_ moment in time- pulses through her veins. He makes a move, like he’s about to interrupt, but she cuts him off. She’s having none of it. Not now.

"We’ve got a chief of police to take care of our safety, anyway. Oh _wait,_ that’s right. He’s not _doing_ anything about it! This city’s crumbling from the inside and he doesn’t care!"

She’s so caught up in her own fury she doesn’t notice the way she’s got him backed against the wall, palm pressing into his chest.

"Of _course_ he does!" The Blue Spirit’s outburst takes Katara by surprise, stunning her into silence. "You have _no idea_!" Katara drops her hand and her eyes drift to his clenched fists by his side. The only source of light comes from a flickering lamppost fifteen feet away, but she’s sure she sees smoke rising from his curled fingers. "He may be chief of police here in Republic City, but he’s also the Fire Nation _Prince_. He’s being watched twenty-four seven. Every single move he makes is noted, registered, analyzed- to be thrown back in his face or used against the royal family."

She hears him sigh, and despite the muffled quality of his voice, there’s no mistaking the defeat in his tone. "He sees it all. The hunger. The disparities. He can’t fight the way you do, but trust me- it doesn’t mean he cares any less. He’s trying to make things _better_. For everyone. You just... you just have to give him some time."

The defeat makes way for a newfound fervor, and Katara is struck by the sudden need to see his eyes. Eyes, she’s been told, never lie.

"Fine." She licks her lips, attempting to sound flippant. "I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. For now."

The Blue Spirit ducks his head. "He thanks you for it," he replies gruffly.

There’s a minute of awkward silence during which the two vigilantes shuffle their feet and cautiously avoid each other’s gazes. Well, Katara avoids his- she can’t tell what’s going on behind that _infuriating_ mask.

Oh, but she sort of wants to, though.

"I should get going," she says finally, making her way out of the alley. She halts in front of the knocked-out bodies. "What about these guys?" 

The Blue Spirit shakes his head. "Don’t worry about it. I’ll deal with them."

She hesitates for a second before lifting her shoulders in a small shrug. Her eyebrows shoot up when he takes a step to follow her. "You’re not going to chaperone me, are you?"

The mask emits a sound that closely resembles a laugh. "No, I’m not. I’ve bee told you can take care of yourself." He reaches out to brush his gloved hands against her bare elbow. It’s the lightest of touches, but it’s enough to send a spark straight to her spine. "Stay safe, though."

The tiny action perturbs her. Wordlessly, Katara nods, before dashing out of the alley into the night.

She forces herself not to look back.

* * *

The Blue Spirit watches the Painted Lady turn the corner and lets out a breath. Digging into his pocket, he whips out his phone to make a call. It takes the black car a quarter of an hour to turn up. When it pulls to a stop, he hauls the two unconscious assailants onto the backseat. Making sure there isn’t anyone around, he slips off his mask and gets into the front passenger seat, where his colleague- and let’s be honest, one of his only friends- glares at him.

"You’re going to get killed one day doing this, Zuko."

Zuko shoots his partner a cynical look. "Because working for the police force is _so safe_."

"It isn’t the same, and you know it." Sokka shakes his head and groans. "As prince and chief of police, of course you’re going to have opposers. You can’t please everyone with whatever decisions you make. But the Blue Spirithas a target painted on his back. He’s made specific enemies, violent ones. Who’ll stop nothing to get revenge for the wrongs they believe have been done to them." 

"You’re talking about Zhao."

"Of course I am!" Sokka cries, running a hand through his hair and messing up his wolf-tail. "He was an ass to Prince Zuko. But he almost got the Blue Spirit _murdered_. Excuse me for not wanting you to die." He rubs his face with one hand, the other gripping the wheel tightly. "Plus, can you imagine the reactions of the people when they find out the Prince of the Fire Nation is gallivanting around in a mask to fight crime?"

Zuko’s jaw ticks as he stares out of the window. "They are going to have to deal with it, because I’m not stopping, Sokka. I’m doing this for them."

The information he receives as the Blue Spirit is astounding compared to what he gets as part of the police, or even as royalty. With a mask on, the hierarchy fades, his position of authority vanishes. People see him as an equal, as one of them.

And there’s a part of him that revels in being someone else, in _not_ being Zuko for a while. He’s never been a prodigal firebender. His father has taken extreme pleasure in pointing it out incessantly throughout his childhood, as his sister Azula- perfect, precocious, proficient Azula- smirks by his side. Mastering the dao swords has therefore been a major source of personal pride, but one he can’t publicly share with others.

After all, he thinks bitterly, it’s beneath royalty to use a sword for combat.

But as the Blue Spirit, however... his hard-earned skill _saves lives_.

Sokka’s voice tears him away from his thoughts. "What were you doing, anyway?"

"I got a tip about the Freedom Fighter’s plan to rob the Crystal Catacombs. By the time I got there, the Kyoshi Warrior and her crew were dealing with it- well, the Painted Lady was dealing with _him_ \- so I stood back to watch a little. Then she got sort of ambushed, so I lent a hand." Zuko shrugs a little sheepishly. "Sorry I forgot to call you. She did a good job, though. You saw that."

Sokka guffaws. "You bet she did- the state that first guy was in, phew!" He shoots Zuko a side look. "So, what’s the Painted Lady like? She’s quite mysterious, that one."

The firebender lowers his head to stare at the mask in his hand, his fingers absently tracing the white markings. He recalls the raw power as she slammed a wave into the thief, the barely suppressed anger in each of her movements as she dodged his double hooks and raised her hands to form a water whip. She fought unlike any waterbender he’s ever seen. It was mesmerizing.

And he remembers those piercing blue eyes behind the veil, challenging and probing, demanding things from him she didn’t even realize she was asking.

Something twists in his stomach- something he hasn’t felt in a long time.

Zuko looks up and catches Sokka’s gaze in the rearview mirror. "She’s... " The faintest of smiles appears on his lips. "She’s definitely something."

His friend grins, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Zuko. My man. It’s been a while."

Before Zuko can protest, Sokka lets out a gleeful cry as he looks out the window. "Ooh, what do you say about making a pit-stop before getting back to the station? I’m suddenly craving some deep friend chicken."

"Sure, let’s do that." Zuko shakes his head in amusement at his partner’s delight.

He shuts his eyes with a soft sight, leaning his head against the window, and proceeds to lose himself in thoughts of veiled, painted red lips and long dark curls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it wasn’t clear, Sokka knows Suki is the Kyoshi Warrior but has no idea that Katara, Aang and Toph regularly join her in their own disguises.   
> Anyway, I’m not sure if anyone is actually reading this, let alone enjoying it, but if there are people out there who think this story might have some semblance of potential, let me know!


End file.
